Hazard Signs

Hazard Signs in the Workplace: Buying Guide

Making the Workplace Safer with Hazard Signs

Keeping workers and visitors to your premises informed of any hazards that they might encounter is an essential part of your health and safety responsibility. The adequate signposting of potential hazards is a legal requirement in most premises that are accessed by employees and members of the public, so placing hazard signs is an important part of ensuring that you comply with relevant health and safety legislation.

Hazard signs can be permanent and static or may be portable, allowing them to be placed to warn of temporary hazards in any given area.

Hazard signs are markers that are used to draw attention to potentially dangerous situations within a public access premises or workplace. Hazard signs are instantly recognisable and usually incorporate designs that have become synonymous with danger in most cultures, such as biohazard signs, therefore instantly alerting those seeing them to a potential danger or hazard.

Pictogram hazard signs use universally recognisable images to give a non-verbal communication of potential dangers for those who are unable to read or comprehend verbal signage. Most hazard signs incorporate powerful verbal information as well with commonly featured words including ‘caution’, ‘warning’ and ‘danger’ as is included in most of our gas and explosive signs, these grab the attention of those viewing them and instantly communicate the existence of risk.

Some hazard signs are static and remain in one place, e.g. warning signs alerting people to the existence of physical features that could pose a risk, such as a trips and slips, while others are moveable allowing them to be placed to warn of temporary hazards, we have a full range of floor stands that include signs that warn of wet floors after spills or cleaning, trip hazards and even access prohibition signage which can be removed once the floor has dried and the hazard is removed.

Diverse Placement Options

Hazard signs are covered by the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 so it is important you familiarise yourself with the rules contained therein, and any other regulation or legislation that is relevant to your business or public access premises before you decide where hazard signs need to be located.

It can be helpful to do a room by room tour of your premises to identify any potential hazards before planning your signage, and if in doubt, do consult the Health and Safety Executive about your signage responsibilities.

We supply a complete range of sign fixings. These will ensure that you can affix any sign to any surface and you can rest assured that they will remain wherever they are displayed for a long period of time.

Understanding hazard signs and their meanings

Staying compliant and keeping staff and visitors safe on site will always be a priority for any business. With the wide range of hazards that are present it is important to have the appropriate hazard sign to create awareness of the potential danger. Having a symbol which immediately indicates the hazard is important for clarity and speed of understanding.

Types of Hazard Signs

We offer a huge range of hazard signs, helping employers safely signpost any areas of their premises where workers or members of the visiting public may potentially be placed at risk.
Our hazard sign range warns of static physical hazards using items such as step signs, drop signs, mind your head signs for low doorways and ceilings, slippery surface signs, barbed wire signs, deep water signs and anti-climb paint signs.

We also supply danger signs that alert people to potentially-dangerous practices in an area they are entering, such as fork lift truck signs, vehicle warning signs, signs that warn of plant machinery in operation, arc welding signs and men at work signs.

Hazard Signs are also available that warn people of the presence of substances that may be hazardous to health including signs to warn of chemical hazards, explosives and explosive atmospheres, radiation hazards and biological hazards. There are also a wide range of electrical signs, such as those which indicate live wiring and voltages.

What Colour are Hazard Signs?

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 state that a workplace must keep hazard safety signs on display and should properly maintain them. This regulation applies to any possible risks that a business cannot remove or manage in a different way. Accidents can happen in seconds, so to ensure that a person can quickly identify the type of warning being made, hazard signs are differentiated by colour. It is your responsibility as an employer to confirm that everyone on your team understands hazard signs and meanings, even if the message displayed seems obvious.

• Signs in yellow or amber. These are warning signs that indicate that it is important to take care in this area. Electrical hazard signs and hazard signs for chemicals are often in yellow.


• Signs in red. Prohibitory signs draw attention to a nearby hazard or a potential one. Some signs, such as our No Entry sign, include a pictogram to reinforce the message and reduce the risk of accidents.


• Signs in green. A green sign highlights the location of fire exits, water stations or evacuation routes. These are essential in a busy workplace because staff need quick access to safe areas in the event of an accident or an emergency.


• Signs in blue. Referred to as mandatory signs, blue signs describe an action that must be completed before entering. This could include hazard signs for chemistry labs, such as putting on a white coat or eye protection.

For help with displaying the correct hazard safety signs, Seton has a range of solutions to keep your business compliant with the current regulations.

What Shape are Hazard Signs?

Whether you are searching for the hazard signs road users may need or hazard signs for chemicals, you need to choose the right-shaped ones for each work location in your facility. You could also consider making replacements because staff can sometimes ignore older hazard signs and the meaning behind them if they see them every day.

• Circles. These signs indicate that an action is recommended or essential. Most signs show which action needs to take place by using a pictogram.


• Circles with a 45° slash. These types of circular signs indicate that an area or action is forbidden. These are crucial signs because they ensure staff are always aware of hazards.


• Triangles. Triangles provide cautions regarding certain hazards and possible hazards. They ensure that your staff avoid electric shocks or exposure to toxins.


• Squares and rectangles. These signs present general information and directions that may be needed in an emergency, including fire exits and first aid stations.

Do Hazard Signs Work?

Appropriate hazard signs and meanings that can be clearly identified help visitors to your business and members of your staff to take the necessary precautions. They indicate that a hazard cannot be avoided but also suggest what action people can take to protect themselves. According to the Labour Force Survey covering 2017/18, 555,000 injuries were sustained in the workplace over the course of one year, many of which resulted in lost working days. To better manage the potential risks in your business, you need to remain vigilant.

As your workplace grows and develops, there may be significant changes in procedures or the equipment used. These lead to new safety risks that you are obliged to review through a risk assessment. According to the HSE, it should involve a “consideration of what in your business might cause harm, and how, and the people who might be affected." As part of your review, you may discover new dangers, but you can manage these in part with new signs.

There is a lot to consider, but Seton can support you in keeping your workplace safe and up to date with hazard signs and symbols for all types of facilities.

FAQs

What Hazard Signs Do I Need for my Premises?

The type and number of hazard signs you will need to comply with health and safety regulations will be determined by the hazards identified within your premises. If in doubt consult the Health and Safety Executive for advice on compliant hazard signage.

Where Should Hazard Signs be Placed?

Hazard signs should be displayed so that anyone approaching a hazard from any angle receives sufficient warning of the potential danger ahead.